


Rescue Me

by MrSunshine



Category: Stray Kids (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Animal Rescue, Cats, Enemies to Friends, Fluff and Angst, Homelessness, Hurt/Comfort, Love at First Sight, M/M, PTSD, more tags to come
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-21
Updated: 2020-09-08
Packaged: 2021-03-04 07:42:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 4,420
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24846253
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MrSunshine/pseuds/MrSunshine
Summary: Minho works as a dancer and choreographer at Bang Entertainment and rescues stray cats in his free time.One late evening he is called to another rescue, not expecting it to change his life.
Relationships: Bang Chan/Lee Felix, Han Jisung | Han/Lee Minho | Lee Know
Comments: 14
Kudos: 79





	1. Chapter 1

Minho was in the middle of dance practice when his second phone started ringing. It wasn’t the newest model but it did its job. Receiving phone calls about stray cats that needed to be rescued.

As soon as he had moved into his own apartment in Seoul and had a steady income he started working as an animal protection advocate for a local non-profit organization in his free time and soon got responsible for most cat cases. 

He loved doing the job, even though it sometimes overlapped with his normal work - being a dancer and choreographer at Bang Entertainment. But he wouldn’t change it. His boss and best friend, Chan, knew about it and let him do whatever he wanted as long as his work wouldn’t suffer too much.

After hanging up again he shot a quick text to Chan that he needed to head out and wouldn’t come back later. It was close to 10pm already and he knew it might take a while to get to the cat and get it settled at home. And he didn’t want to leave it alone in case it needed medical attention.

It didn’t seem that urgent, though. The young man at the other end of the line didn’t seem to be in panic and had had an eye on the little one for a few days until he had decided to call Minho for help. Minho was glad that he had called him. It was in the middle of winter and it was freezing cold outside. Depending on how young it was - the man only said the cat was tiny - it probably wouldn’t have survived the winter. He just hoped the man was able to keep it warm until he arrived. Meeting and catching a cat at one of the big parks wasn’t unusual but in these temperatures every second counted.

About half an hour later he parked his car and grabbed some of the equipment from the trunk. He had gotten used to carrying everything with him for cases like this. Minho checked his phone again. The man had dropped him his location. In the middle of a park close to a coffee shop.

So Minho began his search for him. He looked around the coffee shop but wasn’t able to spot anyone close by and he started to grow annoyed. Why would he just leave with the cat if he had wanted his help? He had told him he’d take about half an hour to get there.

“Hey… are you Minho…?”, he suddenly heard a voice to his left and it nearly made him jump in the otherwise silent park.

He turned towards the voice and finally saw the young man sitting on a little wall behind the coffee shop and in front of some bushes. He was dressed in a long black coat and a black beanie and Minho stopped wondering why he couldn’t find him instantly. He was melting into his surroundings.

“Yes. Did you call me because of the cat?”

“I did. Sorry that I didn’t wait for you in the open but the owner didn’t want me hanging around the shop and I couldn’t leave my stuff behind…”, he explained when Minho came closer. 

Minho looked at him for a moment. Upon closer inspection he looked really cute. He had open, dark eyes hiding behind his glasses, round cheeks that Minho had the urge to pinch and his heart shaped lips were drawn into a slight smile. He looked really young, younger than Minho for sure.

“It’s okay. Where is the cat?”, he answered when he caught himself again and looked around.

“Ah… she’s here. She was freezing so I put her into my jacket…”

The young man - more like boy as Minho had observed - opened his coat and brought out a tiny cat. Minho carefully took her into his hands and if he had to guess she wasn’t much older than three months. He quickly inspected her - it was indeed a girl - but it didn’t look like she was seriously hurt, just slightly underweight.

“She’s in relatively good shape for a stray… you said you kept an eye on her?”

“Yes as much as I could. Every time I was in the park I was looking out for her and tried to feed her and care for her…”

“So she doesn’t belong to anyone?”

The boy shook his head. “No, I don’t think so. No one seemed to look for her and as I said I kept an eye on her…”

“Why didn’t you take her home with you then?”, Minho asked bluntly and looked up. He wasn’t sure how to interpret the reaction he got but it wasn’t one he had expected. The boy looked shocked, slightly offended but also ashamed. Had he missed something?

“I… I _am_ home…”

“What do you mean you’re home…?”, Minho was confused and it was only then that he spotted the suitcase and the sleeping bag in the dim light hidden in the bushes. He couldn’t mean…

“I live on the streets…”, the answer was barely louder than a whisper and he would’ve missed it if he wasn’t this close to him. 

He had meant what Minho had started to guess. He was homeless.

“And you still fed her and cared for her?”

“Sure… I mean… she needed help, right? I just couldn’t leave her all on her own… not with winter coming up…”

“What’s your name?”

“Uh… Jisung…”, Jisung answered, still hesitant and unsure. 

“Ok, Jisung… pack up your things and come with me.”

Jisung’s eyes were blown wide with surprise, staring at Minho but not making a move.

“W-What…?”

“I won’t leave you behind, Jisung. It’s freezing cold and it’s still getting colder. You need as much help as the little one here. So pack up. You’re staying at mine tonight and tomorrow we’ll see what we can do okay?”

Minho carefully placed the cat into the carrier box with some food and a warm blanket and got up again to watch Jisung pack his few belongings.

He didn’t know why he was drawn to him, and he certainly didn’t believe in fate or destiny. 

But apparently he wasn’t only rescuing stray cats now but also stray kids.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm finally writing a new Minsung piece that has been in my head for a while now!  
> Updates will be pretty irregular because of real life and work but I hope you enjoyed the start of this! The next chapter is in the making and will be a lot longer than this lol
> 
> Please let me know what you think of it so far! ♥
> 
> If you have any questions you can hit me up on [twitter](https://twitter.com/softkwj)


	2. Chapter 2

The drive back home was silent except for the cries of the little cat in the transport box. Minho smiled a bit when he heard Jisung explain to her that they’d be in safety soon, trying to calm her down as much as possible. It was cute and Minho was sure that they had already bonded without having realised it.

Minho parked his car in front of his apartment and got out, taking the transport box from Jisung and leading them upstairs.

“I’m going to check on her and see if we need to go to the vet now or if we can go tomorrow. You can take a shower in the meantime if you want to. To warm up again.”, he offered once they were inside, the transport box already being inspected by his two cats, Soonie and Doongie. 

“Can I wait and watch…? I want to make sure she’s fine…”

“Sure… follow me…”

Minho led them into his guest room where he also kept the medical cabinet - for humans and cats. He quickly examined the small cat, checked for injuries and parasites, giving her treatment for the latter.

“She seems to be fine from what I can see. I think it’s okay to wait until tomorrow for the trip to the vet. You took great care of her, she only seems to be a bit malnourished.”

Jisung nodded, smiling with relief. “That’s good. She often came to me and I shared my food with her and tried to keep her warm. But sometimes it took a few days until she returned again…”

“You still did a great job, Jisung… she could’ve been in a completely different condition if it wasn’t for you…”

Minho smiled at him and put the little cat down, letting Soonie and Doongie watch her through the baby door he had once attached to keep them out. They both had been his first rescues and he couldn’t bear to give them away again. And every time he brought a new kitten or cat home it proved him right. He usually kept them away from a new rescue until he knew they wouldn’t contract any diseases or parasites but as soon as this was cleared Soonie would start grooming and loving them.

He chuckled when he saw Doongie eyeing the new and unknown human suspiciously, pacing back and forth in front of the door.

“Hey, Doongie… it’s fine. This is Jisung, he’ll stay with us tonight.”, Minho chuckled and picked her up, giving her kisses before he looked back at Jisung.

“This one is Doongie and the other one is Soonie. They were rescues too and I kept them. Now they’re helping me with new ones, always taking care of them and making sure they feel loved.”, he explained to Jisung before putting Doongie down again.

“You’ll stay in this room tonight, I can convert the couch into a bed. And you can take the shower I mentioned earlier if you want to. I’ll prepare everything for the night and some tea. Do you want anything to eat, too?”

“If that’s okay… I don’t want to be a burden to you…”

It took a bit of explaining and reasoning but in the end Minho managed to convince Jisung that it was fine, that he wasn’t a burden and that he could take the shower and have something to eat.

Minho made some kimchi fried rice for them and sat down with Jisung to eat. He looked even younger now in the oversized sweater and joggers he got from Minho, the round glasses and his outgrown blond hair.

“Can I ask you something?”, Minho asked after a while, careful as not to scare Jisung of what was to come.

“Sure…”

“How old are you?”

“19…”

Minho was surprised but at the same time he was not. He had expected Jisung to be younger than him but hearing that he had to live on the streets at such a young age shocked him, as well as the next things Jisung opened up about.

“I’ve been living on the streets for about five months now…”, Jisung started, not knowing why he trusted him even though he was basically a stranger. But someone who rescued cats and took in a homeless boy couldn’t be that bad, right? At least that’s what he hoped for. He’d find out soon enough otherwise.

“But why…?”

“That’s… kind of a long story…”

“Well, I’m here all night… and so are you...”, Minho chuckled, trying to lighten the mood a bit, “but you don’t have to tell me if you’re uncomfortable. I’m… just curious and maybe a bit worried… you’re still young with a lot of future ahead of you…”

Jisung smiled a bit, trying to figure out how to tell him. 

“I’ve never really talked about this before… only the social worker that visits me from time to time knows about it…”, he started and continued when Minho stayed silent with a soft smile on his lips.

“I don’t really have a future ahead of me anymore. At least I haven’t figured it out yet… I was a trainee at a big company since I wanted to become a rapper or idol… I’ve been training for about a year but shit went down and they threw me out six months ago… I couldn’t find an apartment and quickly ran out of the little money I had saved up when I stayed at hostels or guest houses… and since I didn’t have an apartment I couldn’t find a job and yeah… you can imagine the rest… and before you ask, no, I can’t go back to my parents. They don’t live in South Korea anymore and I don’t want to move back to Malaysia…”

Minho leaned back. It was a lot to digest but he also felt honoured that Jisung was so open with him. And the story unfortunately sounded really familiar, it had happened to a trainee at their company too and he knew how hard it was on someone this young. 

“Do your parents know?”

Jisung shook his head. “They don’t… I… I can’t tell them… I’m too ashamed and… I still use my phone to talk to them and text them but… I can’t tell them… I know they won’t be mad but I’m sure they want me to come back to Malaysia and… I’m not yet ready to give up on my dream… I know chances are slim that I’ll find another company but… as long as there is still one out there that I haven’t applied to I want to keep trying… I just have to get back on my feet and… then I’ll see.”

It was this moment that Minho decided that he wanted to help, that Jisung could stay longer if he wanted to. He admired his strength and compassion, admired that he still wanted to be in the industry that had already failed him and took such a hardship on himself for it.

He didn’t tell him yet, it was too late already and he was tired, they could talk about it tomorrow. But it made him lie awake long after they went to bed.

Jisung’s story sounded too familiar and it wouldn’t leave his mind. He was 23 and he couldn’t imagine living on the streets, he’d probably given up by now if he’d been in Jisung’s situation. It was admirable and Minho could only respect him for his determination and strength. And kindness. 

They had talked a bit more and Jisung had told him a bit about his life on the streets. How he had met other homeless people and often shared the bit of food he had with them, shared it with the tiny kitten when he had found her and every time she came back. He knew he had to help him.

He wasn’t that much of a people-person. At least that’s what his friends always said. But in reality he simply chose the people that surrounded him carefully, didn’t trust every person he came across and met on the streets.

With Jisung it was somehow different. There was something about him that made Minho trust him from the beginning, something that made him different from the other people he has met so far in his life. Jisung seemed to be someone who could be trusted and someone Minho wanted to trust and help and he knew who he could ask for help - Bang Chan. He just hoped that Jisung would be good at what he was doing and didn’t make him regret this decision. 

With determination set in his mind and Doongie purring next to him he eventually managed to fall asleep, lulled into a deep slumber until his alarm went off the next morning, cursing the poor thing for waking him up. The night had been far too short because of his pondering.

After breakfast, Minho drove to the vet with Jisung and the rescue on the backseat where the latter came up with the name for her - Dori. The examination was fast and it only confirmed his check-up from the evening before. Dori was fine but a bit malnourished and needed to be treated for fleas and worms.

“I’m glad she’s doing okay…”, Jisung said once they were back home, petting the tiny cat on his lap lovingly, “what are you going to do with her now?”

“I’m going to keep her here until she’s better and then see if I can find someone to adopt her.”, Minho replied while putting down the cup of tea in front of Jisung.

“And if no one wants her…?”

“Then I’ll keep her. I still have enough space for a third cat, but she’s young and I’m sure there’ll be someone who wants to adopt her…”

Jisung was smiling sadly, watching Dori. “I wish I could keep her… But I want her to get a good and loving home…”

“Well… you can for now…”

“What…? What do you mean…? I can’t take her with me. I live on the streets! That’s no place for such a small kitten…”

“I know, Jisung… But I’m not going to throw you out again… I want to help you and I think I have the means to do so…”

Jisung didn’t understand. How would Minho be able to help him?

“But… how…? I can’t even pay rent… I don’t have anything to offer you… I don’t have money or anything else… I… I only have my body…”

Minho was shocked about the proposition Jisung just made.

“What…? No! I don’t want anything for it now. You first have to get back on your feet!”, he explained quickly but grew worried. “Have you… have you done that before…?”

Relief flooded his body when Jisung shook his head no. “No… But I thought about it… when money was tight and food was scarce…”

“Listen, Jisung… you don’t have to do that, okay? You stay here until you’re back on your feet and then we can talk about things like this… And you don’t have to think about that ever again, okay? This will be your first step to your future, okay?”

The younger just listened, his eyes fixed on Dori. “Why…? Why are you doing this for me…? You barely know me…”

Minho didn’t know. He had been asking this himself. He didn’t know Jisung but there was something that made him like him, something that Minho couldn’t resist. And he told him. 

“I don’t know. I don’t know why I want to help you, but I know that it would be cruel to throw you out again and to not help you out when I can. I can give you a roof over your head and I can help you get an audition at the company I work at.”

It was Jisung’s turn to look shocked now, all colour drained from his face.

“I’m a dancer and choreographer at Bang Entertainment. And the CEO, Bang Chan, is actually my best friend and we used to live together.”

Jisung still stared at him as if he’d seen a ghost, even less colour in his face now than seconds before, and Minho realised he probably should’ve told the ex-trainee earlier who he was staying with.

“You-... what-...?”

“Yes… listen, don’t panic, okay…? It’s not as big as it seems…”

“It is!! I mean-... you’re best friend is-... and-... “, Jisung sighed, “which company would take someone who was thrown out as a trainee…?”

The younger looked defeated and Minho felt sorry. He knew how the industry worked and how hard it must be for Jisung to go to auditions now.

“Bang Entertainment, probably. I know Chan well and he is all for second chances. I don’t know why your old company threw you out and right now I don’t care… but you deserve a second chance and I’m sure I can talk to Chan about that. We just… have to dye your hair again and cut it a bit maybe…”

Jisung was still struck with surprise. From all the things that could’ve happened to him, this was the one he had expected the least. But he was still unsure. Was he ready to try again? Was he still good enough? And would they be fine with him?

“You said they’re different… can I ask you something about that…?”

“Sure, go ahead. You can ask me as much as you want.”

“They’re not hypocritical, right…? I mean… I heard that Bang Chan-ssi has a boyfriend and… they have an openly gay artist… Are they… fine with that? For trainees?”

Minho smiled sympathetically. He understood where Jisung’s thoughts came from. 

“It’s fine. You don’t have to worry about that. The public is still not as open about it but Chan is. He won’t throw you or any other of his artists out just because you’re gay, bi, lesbian or whatever you identify with. In fact, I think most of us are… not exactly straight…”, he explained carefully, still smiling softly and reassuring. 

It seemed to work. Jisung’s shoulders sank down and he started to relax again, leaning back against the couch and petting Dori on his lap.

“Okay… then… I think I could try if he lets me… I’m just… a bit rusty…”

Minho didn’t have to negotiate long to get Jisung that audition. He had agreed with Jisung to be completely honest to Chan, told him that he had been thrown out and had been living on the streets until Minho took him in. 

Without further ado Chan agreed to meet him and Minho could deliver the message to the youngest.

“Chan said you can meet him. But he also wants Changbin to be present so he doesn’t make the decision alone. I will stay too but I might be biased so I probably won’t have a say in that.”, he explained to Jisung while applying the bleach to his roots. It had been high time that Jisung finally re-dyed his hair. 

“I hope Monday is fine for you? So you have the weekend to prepare for it. Just let me know if you need anything, okay?”

“Maybe a guitar… if they want me to sing. And I have a USB with some of my raps on it, that they can listen to. I’m just not the best dancer so they shouldn’t expect much from that.”

“You’re a trainee. You don’t have to be perfect. Just good enough to get a contract…”, Minho chuckled, stepping a step back when Jisung tried to hit him.

“Yeah.. no pressure, hyung…”

Jisung had been staying with him for a bit more than a week now. And Minho enjoyed every second of it. It was nice to come home to someone, a freshly cooked meal and cleaned apartment. The younger really was a big help, helped as much as he could and did every chore that arose during the day. 

They had gotten to know each other a bit more, too, over shared dinners and cups of tea or hot chocolate. Jisung opened up about his family and why they had moved to Malaysia and why he wanted to come back to Seoul. And Minho opened up about himself. How he grew up as an only-child and about his passion to dance.

He could get used to it, but deep down he knew he shouldn’t get too attached.

The weekend flew by in the blink of an eye and before they both realised it, it was Monday.

Jisung was sure he had never been as nervous as right now. He was waiting with Minho in one of the studios, the door wide open so they would hear Bang Chan and Changbin coming. 

Every time they heard steps outside the younger tensed up, anxiously waiting for the three men to come into the room. And every time someone just walked past them so far, greeting Minho and looking at the newbie next to him curiously. 

It made Jisung feel sick to his stomach, nervous to no end. He knew this would be his only chance for a while and he knew he couldn’t fuck it up. He couldn’t disappoint Minho after he had managed to even get him this audition. And he couldn’t disappoint himself.

He had waited for this chance and he knew this was a good company for him, for a bisexual man like him. Here he could be open about it, and didn't have to hide for the rest of his life. He needed to succeed. He knew he had the skill he just had to show them that they were worth working on and investing in.

“That must be them…”, Minho announced, pulling Jisung out of his thoughts, his head perking up.

He heard steps, chatter and laughter coming from the corridor. And three different voices.

“Why are you even coming with us? You’re a trainee and won’t have a say in this anyways.”, one voice that Jisung made out to be Changbin’s - _THE_ SPEARB - said.

“Because I want to see the guy that turned Minho-hyung’s head?”

Jisung froze. 

He knew that voice, knew who it belonged to. And it meant no good. All his chances suddenly blown through the wind. He wanted to run and hide. Run away from the voices coming closer and never come back here, never step a foot inside this company or Minho’s apartment again.

But it was too late and the familiar face he hadn’t seen for the last six months turned around the corner with the other three men he had wanted to convince of his talent.

“Jisung?! What is _he_ doing here?!”

The question wasn’t directed at him, Hyunjin wasn’t even looking at him after realising who was in the room with him, and it made the anger Jisung had bubble back up. 

“You know each other?”, Minho seemed to be as confused as Chan and Changbin, none of them having expected the mood to shift to such an aggressive atmosphere within seconds.

“Sadly, I do.”, Hyunjin scoffed and Jisung balled his hands into fists.

“Excuse you?!”

Hyunjin finally looked at him but before he could fire back Minho stepped in between them, hoping to de-escalate the situation at least a bit. 

“Okay you two. Calm down. What’s going on?”

And within milliseconds after uttering this question it dawned on him why Jisung’s story had sounded so familiar, their answer in unisono only confirming it.

“ _He’s_ the reason why I got thrown out of my old company!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> whoop who saw that coming~?
> 
> I think I forgot to add or mention that Chan and Woojin are a bit aged up here, I haven't decidedd for Minho yet tho but rn I don't think it is needed for him to be aged up.
> 
> I hope you liked the chapter! Please let me know in the comments what you thought about it <3  
> the third chapter is in the making but idk yet when I can finish and upload it, I'm sorry :(


	3. short info about this fanfic

Hello, it's Sammy!

I'm sorry that this isn't an update to the fanfic itself. I started writing the new chapter and then a big writer's block hit me and my real life got really busy becuase of work. I'm really sorry but I promise to continue this one!

However, I'm going to rewrite the first two chapters first and have to rethink some aspects of it, because I'm going to exclude Woojin in this one because of recent news.

I hope I can get everything done as soon as possible and hope that it might help me get back into writing :) I'll delete this chapter once I'm going to continue!

Please bear with me some more!

Thank you and I hope everyone can understand!

xoxo


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